The 22-year-old rookie sensation, who missed the championship by one point in his debut Formula One year, is reckoned by team bosses to be the best bet for the title.

And that’s why they have dumped their equal status strategy for their two drivers and made Hamilton the top gun.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh, with owner Ron Dennis’ backing, said: “We’re determined that Lewis will be world champion by this time next year.

“People at the factories, here and in Germany, are working incredibly hard to make sure it happens.

“It’s fantastic that Lewis has already earned that level and depth of emotion and support within the team.”

Fernando Alonso, his sulky team-mate offloaded at the end of the season, thought McLaren were favouring Hamilton despite his double-champ status.

Dennis denied it – but it will certainly be the case for 2008 when test driver Pedro de la Rosa, as seems certain, moves up to join Lewis on the grid. Whitmarsh added: “Lewis is our main focus. He has all the confidence and knowledge to fill that role.

“He has grown and matured enormously over the past year. He has helped unify the team.”

Hamilton, four times a race winner in his first season in F1, is hot favourite to win BBC TV’s Sports Personality prize tonight.

And he has already recovered from the disappointment of missing out on the F1 crown.

He said: “You can’t win all the time – and you have to lose to know how to win and appreciate it. I’m already focused on next year.

“I can’t wait for the opener in Australia. And I’m keyed up to take the title.”

Meanwhile, F1 legend Michael Schumacher has been warned that he won’t have any advantage when he bids to complete a hat-trick of Germany victories at Wembley Stadium.

The seven-time world champ hopes to pick up from where Germany’s footballers have twice left off when he races at the Night of Champions next Sunday.

Wembley’s pitch has been transformed into a race track with 4,000 tons of surfacing.

Schumacher will be duelling with Brits Andy Priaulx and Jenson Button in front of an 80,000 sell-out crowd.